Chapter 19 Actions and Reactions

Georgie entered the house and was slipping up the stairs to bed when she heard the tears coming from Maxie's room. Entering she rubbed her sister's back, hoping to sooth her, only to freeze when she heard the blond saying "Mom, she hates me."

Maxie rolled over and Georgie couldn't help it, she laughed at the mascara running down her checks then when she saw how upset her sister was, handed her a mirror.

Shrieking, she ran to the bathroom, waking Mac and the houseguests while Georgie couldn't help it, she just kept on chuckling. "Relax we aren't being attacked, unless you consider black streaks a reason to scream."

Robert went back to bed grumbling while Anna and Felicia looked at one another and realized the two girls needed this time alone and grabbed Mac and dragged him back to his room. "Let them be."

"Uh, Maxie." asked Georgie as she tried not to laugh, "Are you okay in there?"

Opening the door, the blond glared at her sister then said "Why?"

"Get some warm clothes on, it is snowing, then come with me." she said. Downstairs, she grabbed two of Mac's to go coffee thermos and made them some hot tea. Seeing her sister, she led her out into the dark and said "You know, I am going to miss driving Mac's car."

Getting in, Maxie chuckled then said "Are you buying one?"

Looking at her sister with a measured glare, she said "No, I am taking mine back."

Swearing softly, Maxie said "I forgot... I uh, kind of had an minor accident in mine."

Looking at her sister then pulling out of the drive, Georgie said "Could you find the channel with all the Christmas music?"

When they arrived down at the docks, the two sat down on the bench while the snow gently swirled around them not seeing the blond woman who had stopped when she saw them. She had intended to talk to Maxie at first, but then just stood quietly watching what was going on.

It was silent for a few minutes then Georgie said "I am not mad about Spinelli. In a way, I feel bad for you for even being involved with him. I just can't believe you were considering marrying him. Seriously, Maxie did you lose your mind?"

Looking down, Maxie thought about it as the cold water lapped up against the dock then said "He was a way of keeping you close, at first. Then I was the center of his world, at least it felt that way... but now, I realize that Jason was busy with Elizabeth so Spinelli tried to use me as a distraction. Then later on, I was supposed to be Sam to him."

"Wow." said Georgie looking at her. "How do you feel about that?"

"Sick. I slept with Lucky not that long ago, I had been feeling left out, alone. Lucky said some things and then wouldn't give me a ride. I called for a cab and was told it would be an hour. I didn't want to sit on the Spencer porch like a loser so I walked. And I thought about what Lucky had said and then what was going on with Jason or rather the man I thought was Jason.... well anyhow, I figured things out. Woke up to a few things. Spinelli was at the house, and Lucky, you know... I had forgot he knew a lot about computers. Well, he sent Spin a tape of us. I was relieved, in a way. I said a few things, then made him leave."

"How are you doing now?" she asked as she took a sip of the hot black tea.

"Better, I am finally seeing things clearly." Maxie hugged her sister then said "I screwed up a lot of things, more than you can ever imagine, but I am glad you are home to tell me when I am messing up."

"Isn't that what sisters are for?" she asked ruefully. "Do you like working for the magazine?"

"Yes, Kate is great, even when she is being a bitch. She is what I want to be... well minus the getting shot at her wedding and being involved with Sonny," she said honestly while their silent witness laughed at that one. "Georgie, why won't you talk to me about Alaska?"

"There really is nothing to talk about, I am fine." she insisted.

"Then how about telling me what went on, please?" plead her sister.

"Like I said, not much to tell. I woke up on a plane with Jerry Jacks telling me to be silent then when I screamed he said "No one can hear you and the pilot works for me. He said he had wanted you, not me, but that it wasn't the first time he had made that mistake."

"What did he mean?" she asked.

"When he grabbed Emily he had intended to grab some dark haired nurse. The one you ripped the pearl off of." she said.

"Why Leyla?" she asked. "Did he ever tell you?"

"No, but I think it was about Dr. Quartermaine, who he already had. He needed someone to take care of him. AJ was already there but he had no medical knowledge and it turns out he is squeamish." she said with a sad chuckle. "Then you knew something about the safe that he needed, I never knew what."

Maxie hesitated then asked "What happened with Emily?"

"Her cancer came back, we didn't figure it out at first, then Alan did. AJ and I came up with a plan, in spite of Jerry's warnings. It worked, but in the end, it didn't. Emily died and then that bastard Jerry took her body." she said her hands shaking as she sat down her coffee cup.

"Then, Jerry shot the guard. I can still see him hitting the ground. He just left him there, and then left us, alone again." she said. "He brought another guard over for winter, this one... this one was younger. He was scary..."

Maxie had heard the whispering between her parents and hugged her sister. "You handled him. I don't know that I could have."

"You would have. When it is your life you would be surprised how strong you can be." she said quietly. "If they hadn't come to help us, I would have had to kill him... it's hard to face that. I almost did shoot Johnny."

With a soft giggle, Maxie said "I heard. You know, his sister tried to hire me to seduce him away from Lulu. I did at first try but he wasn't interested. Then when he was trying to end things with Lulu, we flirted a bit..."

"Do you like him that way?" she asked surprised.

"No, I mean he is attractive, but mainly he was my first swipe at ending things with Spinelli. He is too, I don't know... something. I did think of him as a friend but that ended when... well... I just... Claudia's death and I knew what happened. I felt guilty about not telling him then I just... it is strange. He was a friend to me, but I wasn't to him. Now seeing him... I think he likes you."

"Likes me? What are we twelve and passing notes in study hall?" asked Georgie mocking her sister. "John is fine, but I am no where near ready to deal with any man. I just think of him as a friend, the same way he thinks of me. We are both lonely."

"Why are you lonely, I mean, Dillon is in town, same with Brooklynn. You have me, and everyone else." she asked not understanding what Georgie was saying.

"That is just it. I love all of you, but I need to be me first. And right now, I don't know who that is and your pal Johnny had no preconceived ideas of me." she said. "I talked to Diane Miller after she had an appointment with Dad today. I am going to work for her. Doing research and stuff."

"That is so boring." said Maxie at a huff. "You should come to work at Crimson, Kate is looking for another assistant."

"Maxie, I find THAT to be boring." she said with a chuckle. "No, the job for Diane suits me. I have talked to my former dean and have only to attend school this spring and prepare for my LSAT"s. I would run screaming from the building if I worked doing what you do."

With a heavy sigh, Maxie said "I just... you and I... we just..."

"We will." she said hugging her then seeing a shadow, squinted then said "Lulu why don't you show yourself?"

The blond walked out then said "Hello Georgie. Good to see you."

Two could play this game, thought Georgie. "You too, how are you doing?"

"Well I would be better, but Sam shot Lucky for some unknown reason and Elizabeth caused Nik and him to fight. Then she was the reason that Carly was taken away by Jax. Jason won't help me get her free because of Elizabeth's sons. And Dad went to jail because of the FBI."

Shaking her head, Georgie said "Wow, you haven't changed a bit. If you will excuse me, we have to get home."

"That is why I stopped, Maxie, I need to know if you are going to pay rent this month." she said. "You are going to have to pay the whole shot because I am moving into my Aunts and we have a lease."

Annoyed Maxie said "Lulu, that doesn't matter, we are each responsible for half the rent. We signed that lease together."

"No, I told them you were taking it over." she said. "Besides, I need the money since Dad can't give me any and Carly never paid me but I already spent what she promised me."

"That is your problem." snapped Maxie. "You make the same amount I do, and yet I can pay my own bills without help."

"Well that is because you are used to being poor, I have always had money." she snapped.

Blinking at that lie, Georgie said "Lulu a lease is a contract, you have to pay your share. Why don't you ask your brothers to help you out or even find the money that Carly paid Lucky to seduce my sister, that should tide you over."

Shocked, Lulu walked away in a hurry. She had to get to her mother's house, she had forgotten about the money. Arriving she quickly went to Lucky's hiding spot and was pissed when she only found a few loose bills. Slamming her way out of the house, she drove to the Brownstone and went to find Ethan who was staying there.

Shaking him awake she said "Did you take it?"

"Take what?" he asked groggily. "What are you going on about Lulu?"

"The money, Lucky's money?"

Sitting up, Ethan's senses sharpened then cursed as he said "No, I forgot he had been paid by Carly. Who else knew about that spot? Elizabeth?"

"No, Lucky always said he had to hide money from her because she would only let him have a little bit. Nik, you, me and maybe... I wonder if Sam knew about it?"

"You get some sleep, I will ask her." he said going to get dressed.

Arriving at GH, Ethan slipped quietly into the room and found the woman awake. "Did you steal Lucky's money when you killed him?"

"What? No, I didn't kill Lucky. I was framed by Jerry Jack." she said. "That tape is a fraud, it was something that happened in Mexico, it was a coin...." Furious she couldn't move, Sam was suddenly scared. That outfit had been all she had HAD TO WEAR. Alfred had claimed the maid spilled water on the floor above and it had leaked onto her clothes.

Had her half brother been in cahoots with Jerry all along? Had she been set up to die by Nik? Sweating, Sam said "Get out. I didn't steal Lucky's money, 'sides, why would I give a crap about a few thousand dollars?"

Reaching for the call button with her teeth, Sam kept pressing until a nurse came. "I need to see the police, NOW!"

"Yes ma'am." she said then went to call the station. Told they would send someone early in the morning, the nurse informed the patient who said "If I am dead, tell them that my brother killed me."

Early the next morning, Jagger was in with Commissioner Abbott when the desk sergeant gave him the message. "How about letting me deal with this?"

"Fine." said the man as he went back to dealing with the more normal crimes on his docket. "Send someone to talk to the councilwoman, get her side of the story before telling her to remove it please?"

Jagger arrived at the hospital and knocked on Sam McCall's door. "Miss McCall, I am Special Agent-in-Charge Jagger Cates. The police asked me to deal with you."

"My brother paired up with Jerry Jacks to frame me for the death of Lucky Spencer his brother."

"Why would he do this?" he said sitting down and taking out his notebook.

"Money, I just found out that Alexis Davis isn't my mother that Stefan Cassidine was my biological father. I don't know the how, but it turns out that he is also Nik's father putting us on equal status to inherit the Cassidine Empire which he had driven into the ground."

"And? I need proof, Miss McCall and we both know your word isn't credible." he said. "I am acquainted with your brother and frankly I don't see why he would do this."

"M-O-N-E-Y" she snapped. "I want my share of it and he paired with Jerry to stop me from getting it."

"Fine, I will arrange for someone to look into it." he said closing his notebook.

"You don't understand, I need police protection" she said "I am a sitting duck. He could kill me and I would have no way of defending myself."

"We will warn Mr. Cassidine off." he said. "I will also have someone else look into this, so that there can be no claim of bias. Frankly after what you did to the Morgan boy, I don't have a lot of sympathy for you. Now you know what Jake felt like."

Sam swore then said "I would take this seriously before I sue the FBI, you and the Port Charles police department."

"Miss McCall, someone will look into this, I came here expecting you to try and make a deal for your freedom like Mr. Spinelli did. I am not equipped to help you."

"A deal? Spinelli made a deal with what?" she asked laughing. "He doesn't know anything. If you want Morgan, you should have come to me."

"No thanks, like I said you have a credibility problem." he replied. Then walking to the door he turned and repeated what Harper had pointed out to the DA the day before.

"Miss McCall, something for you to think about... Sonny, went to jail then died. Why wasn't Jason protecting him? Carly, his ex-wife was just sent to a mental institution, why didn't Jason free her? You are here, has he stopped by once to offer help? No, he hasn't. Because he was the one who suggested Raynor make you an offer to deal with Sonny. Mr. Spinelli, well he is going to be working for me. Informants don't have a long lifespan especially when taking on the mob. I would say Jason is dealing with all that hurt Elizabeth and his sons."

~~~*~~~

Jason had just checked on the boys when he walked past the door where Elizabeth was sleeping. Hearing noises, he quietly knocked then entered to realize she was dreaming. Seeing the blankets at her feet and knowing it had to be cold, Jason was gently covering her up when he heard her saying his name in a panicked voice.

"No, please, Jason. Don't do this."

"Sam, do you really hate me this much, that you would steal my son?"

"NO, please, god Jason. Why? I thought you loved me... I thought you loved me."

Jason felt his heart stop at the broken sound of Elizabeth's voice and could guess what she was dreaming. Reaching out, he had just about touched her when he heard something that hurt even worse.

"Nik, please, Nik. I will do whatever you want please, just help me get back my children."

"I can't, I can't do that. Please, anything but that."

"Jason, why are you doing this? You were fine with me being married to Lucky but you don't like me with Nik? Why, did he endanger Jake? Hire men to hurt him? No that was the tramp you are sleeping with, so don't you dare say that."

"I have never forgiven her anymore than I should have forgiven you or that bitch Courtney."

Jason recoiled at the tone, then went to the doorway. Seeing Audrey there, he saw the measured look in her eyes just before she said "Going to run again, are you?"

"She has a right to hate me." he said quietly. "I did things, stupid things over the years that hurt her terribly. Yet, hearing her call out for Nik, asking him to help her, It kills me." he said with his head dropping. "She doesn't trust me and I don't blame her."

"Yes, there is blame there, but what about you? Are you angry with her, that is why you two aren't where you should be, because you haven't talk about all of it. You do what you need to make things okay now, but the pain is still there, festering underneath." she said walking to her door. "Jason, leave if you must, but I think you might be better off staying."

Jason got downstairs, as far as the great room and was going to get his coat when he saw the paperwork from Diane. Thinking on what was written inside, Jason tossed his coat on the sofa and starred at the stairs in anger. Finally he went back upstairs and sat down in the chair in Elizabeth's room and waited for her to get past the nightmare.

Hearing his phone beeping, he looked at the text then called Cody. "Did you track him down?"

"Yes, Max Giambetti did. He is in Sicily. His father plans on dealing the Jerry." said Cody being sure to keep his voice at an even tone.

Jason had wanted to deal with the man himself, but knew that he had no standing with the elder Giambetti and could end up costing him even more capital. "Call, no I will do it. You make it known about Spinelli to the families."

"I took care of it. What about Sam?" asked Cody, as far as he was concerned that was who deserved the worst punishment, not the kid she had played but would Morgan have it in him to take out his ex-lover?

"Leave her hanging, Sam is going no wheres and I have other things to deal with." he said then feeling eyes on him he looked up to see Elizabeth staring at him. There was a darkness in her, he could see it there in her eyes. Wondering if now was the best time for them to talk, he hurried up and ended his call with Cody.

"Are you up for a bike ride, the roads are clear." he asked quietly.

"No, how about we go for a drive." She had seen Sam on that bike repeatedly and had no intention of getting on it ever again. She had always believed that bike rides had been special for them, instead she had come to realize he used it for an escape no matter who he was with.

"Fine. You need to put on some warm clothes, they plowed the road pretty good but it is still snowy and cold out there." Leaving he went to see if Audrey was up and found his mother there as well. "When did you arrive.

"Five minutes ago, I am here to bring the boys to see Alan, I should warn you that Edward might be there as well." she said then went back to gossiping and drinking coffee with Audrey. When Elizabeth came downstairs, she had pulled her hair back in a elastic band and was dressed warmly. Grabbing her coat, she said "Where are we going?"

"Someplace we can be alone." he said as he drove to the studio. Upon entering he saw the mess and the new sofa and said "When did you redecorate?"

"I didn't, I just had the old sofa removed after sleeping with Nik. Steven asked if I still had this place and wanted to store his sofa here." she said shrugging as she walked in. Jason flinched at home calmly she mentioned having sex with Nik in the place he considered theirs. "Jason, why are we here?"

"You had a nightmare last night, do you remember it?" he asked quietly then when she said no, he said "I can see it in your eyes, stop lying Elizabeth, please."

"What? You want to hear about how I dreamed you and Sam took my kids away and how everyone in town turned against me for doing nothing more than what all of them have done more than once." she said with a bitter tone. "How I dreamed that even Nik betrayed me when I had begged him for help? How I dreamed that you told me I got what I deserved for asking you to give your son away just before you turned to Carly and told her that she was right, I didn't deserve to be a mother to your children. I asked you Jason, I asked you to help keep the nightmare away and you said no."

"You NEVER ASKED me that." he said.

"Really, I seem to recall asking you to stay with me last night, but you were being noble, said no. But that is what you do best, be noble for me." she said. "You are only yourself with those other people. With Robin, you could walk away, for Michael you could walk away from this world, but for me, for Jake, of course not, Elizabeth. Michael needs me, Carly needs me. What about just once, Jason, thinking about what I need?"

"Like your need to feel better about yourself so you asked me to walk away from my son?" he snapped. "Like your need to rescue that bastard Zander, then Ric then Lucky."

"But that is what I do best isn't it?" she mocked. "After all, I have rescues you, but strangely enough at least they appreciated it at the time, you just thank me then leave after we did business. Thank you for letting Courtney hit you, never mind you are blind. Poor, poor Courtney is going though a hard time and has gotten addicted to drugs."

When he started to talk she said "No, you want to do this we will do this. Or how about Sam, crying wolf, deliberately putting herself in danger, but she is some strong woman who can survive in your world, that is why you were letting her hang around after we ended wasn't it?"

"No and you know that." he said tersely.

"No, Jason I don't. What I do know is that while you were claiming it was too dangerous for you to be around us it was safe for Robin, safe for Emma, safe for every other single kid in this town." she snapped.

"Don't you get how badly it hurt me to walk away from you, why can't you ever give me a little credit for that?"

"Because Jason, you keep walking away and I have never seen once an expression of regret. Oh, I did for Courtney, when you walked away, same for Sam, but me and your son. Not even single tear." she said in an eerily hissing sound. "Do you ever think about how I felt with you walking away. That maybe I did feel like I wasn't good enough, that I felt like you wished something anyone other than I was the mother of your child."

"Stop it, it's not true and you know that." he said.

"No, Jason. I don't." she said. "I know that you want me to think that, but know it, no I don't." With that she walked over to the window and looked down. "If it wasn't for Jake, there are days I wish I never went into Jake's that night."

Flinching, Jason looked at her and then moved closer. "You don't mean that."

"Jason, I don't know, I mean I thought I knew how I felt before we came home. Yet since we have been here, every single time you have walked away, or pushed me away has been at the forefront of my mind. When I reached out to you, last night. You couldn't do one simple thing for me. Instead you gave me this ring." She said with a laugh. "Said it was a symbol of a promise of a future. But you have broken that promise before. I thought I was past my doubts, my fears, but you are right. I am not."

Jason moved to the small kitcnenette and said hoarsely "I would never walk away. I know I have in the past, but I truly have never felt like I deserved a life with you, with the boys."

"But you do now, why?" she asked looking at him. "What changed Jason? What caused you to finally take a good look at the users in your life. For me, it was seeing you kissing Sam. I finally realized I wasn't good enough. Then I realized that I was settling here, waiting for you to wake up and say to me. "Elizabeth I want my family." So I was going to leave. Going to take Jake and Cam and find someplace new."

"That wasn't me." he said quietly. "You know that now."

"But Jason from December to July, it was you. It was you letting her hang around after what she did to your son. Claudia is dead, you were planning on doing it yourself when you found proof she was behind what happened to Michael, yet you wouldn't do that for you own son. Why?"

"Because..." Jason stopped to look at her then said "Is that what you want, Sam dead?"

"That you even have to ask tells me just how far apart we are." she said. "This is also not about what I want. Did Sonny was her dead, or was that you. Was it different because you once loved Sam, because you were going to raise her kid? Is that you didn't deal with her like you did Faith, like you were planning on doing with Claudia?"

"I honestly don't know." he said. "I was looking for proof that she was involved with the second kidnapping before dealing with her."

"Did Faith get a second chance, would Claudia have if she had said she was sorry?" she asked then looking in his eyes said "I thought not. At least it answers my question."

When she was almost to the door, Jason said "And what about Lucky?"

"You can't compare the situations and you know it."

"I am not talking about the danger he created for the boys, I am talking about why weren't you this hard on him for letting her back into his life. You took him back, my guess would be without even bringing it up."

Looking at Jason, she said "Because Lucky is Lucky, but Jason, I have always thought better of you. I knew, or thought you were the one person who put kids first. What I never figured out was that the kids had to be connected to Sonny for that to happen."

"I can't believe you would say that." he said. "You know that isn't true."

"Really because actions speak louder than words. Why didn't you kill Ric, when he hurt Carly?"

"Because Sonny told me not to." he said. "Carly was his wife and he got to make the decisions or yes what you are trying to ask I would have killed him."

"Strange, you went against Sonny's orders and beat him up for Sam's lies about his raping her." with a sad chuckle, "Now do you see why I wonder?"

When the door closed, Jason sat down numb. He couldn't believe what she thought, how did they get past it. How did he find the words to make her understand. Then wondered if killing Sam would do it. Hearing his phone ring, he looked at the called ID and then said "Now isn't a good time."

"Sorry but we need to talk. I saw your car outside a rundown building, can I come up?"

Jason said "Sure why not?"

Entering the studio, Mac saw Jason and asked "Who did you go ten round with?"

"No one." he snapped.

"That no one, sounds remarkedly like Elizabeth." he said then looking around he said "And this place, looks like someplace I recall a bomb being defused in."

"What do you want?" he asked.

"That can wait. I know you have no reason to talk to me, but … I can only imagine what you two are going through right now. Jason, you will get through it, but the nastiness the fighting, it was what I should have done years ago with Felicia, but I decided we weren't worth it. Elizabeth and you are. Deal with the anger, the pain. Because the other side, the other side is that it will be better." he said then walked to the door. Stopping he said "Maxie got a call from Spinelli, he took the deal."

"He called her?" Jason asked looking up. "Why?"

"She asked the very same thing to him. Then he asked her to give Sam a message. I thought you should hear it." Playing the message, he saw Jason's eyes light up with a dark fire and knew he didn't want to be in his way when he went to deal with whoever the code was about.

Jason hurried down the stair, and instead of getting in his truck like Mac expected, the blond went down the docks following the small footprints. Calling Felicia, he told her he would see her at Diane's office so she could sign the papers then went to the station.

Jason meanwhile found Elizabeth down by the docks looking over at Wyndemre. "I love you. Whatever else you believe, please believe that."

Turning to look at him, he saw the frozen tears and pulled her into his arms. "Your Uncle said this was going to be ugly at time and hurt, but I meant what I said last night, in the end, we are family."

"Jason, this has never been what we were about. Fighting and meanness, yet I feel so angry at times. I just want to hurt you, but at the same time I am telling myself stop, you don't mean those things."

"That is because deep down, you do. You have right to those feelings. Just like my anger about some stuff. We need to get this out. To deal. I knew this was going to be a long process and if you want, at night I will sit with you, but I can't sleep in a bed with you, I just can't." he said.

"Because of Nik?" she asked swallowing her shame.

Looking down, he said "Before today, no. I just found that I understand irrational jealousy. I mean for all I know you slept with Lucky at the studio, I know you did with Zander. Yet the idea of you sleeping with Nik there, it hurts."

"I know the feeling. I felt the same way about Sam and you riding your bike up to cliff roads."

"I have never taken Sam up those roads and I only once ever gave her a ride on the bike and it was a matter of necessity. " he said then saw Elizabeth's embarrassment then found himself saying. "I am going to kill O'Brien."

"I loved your bike." she said wistfully.

"Same way I felt about the studio." he said.

"I can get rid of it, if it helps." she said quietly.

"No, I think it might be better to confront things head on. I just, do you want me to get rid of the bike?"

"No." she said not meaning it then saying "I know it is irrational but yes. But please buy a new one."

With a laugh, Jason pulled her into his arms and said "I feel the same about the studio. We still have to discuss the other but right now, we have to deal with a problem involving a geek named Spinelli."

"What kind of problem?" she asked.

"One involving a wedding certificate in my name saying I married Sam last January. It is fake and he set it up." Jason was beyond furious with the kid.

"Well, how do you feel about being a bigamist. I heard Spinelli going on and on about you getting a license to marry Claudia. That is another thing we are going to be talking about." she warned him. "However the thing was blank I was given to understand. I say we make it look like we were married then."

"You do know that is going to make me a bigamist instead of solving the problem?" he asked dryly.

"I think he will back down, I know he is going to back down." she said grimly. The gruesome twosome had gone too far and she had no idea where this had come from but Elizabeth was done reacting to their actions, this time she was going to put an end to the games.

TBC